Chapter 20: Look What I've Found! A Wild Bibi Dong Appears in the Arena
The return journey had been smooth for Ye Wen. In this era, with Slaughter City and the Spirit Hall both in existence, there was little room for dark soul masters to operate. His only real concern now was that while he'd originally only wanted to "change the world," he now had to "save the world." But he was still far too weak to take on any lofty ambitions and knew he'd have to take it one step at a time.
As he passed through the Heavenly Dou Imperial City, a rare burst of youthful curiosity overtook him. Having come all this way, it felt like a waste not to explore the capital, and Ye Wen reminded himself that balance was key in training. So, he made his way into the bustling capital of the Heavenly Dou Empire, taking in the sights.
Though the city boasted a medieval charm, Ye Wen was unimpressed by its cluttered and less than clean streets. For the capital of a country, it was astonishingly unkempt. Yet, he reminded himself that this was the Douluo World, a world driven by supernatural might, and the lack of attention to basic infrastructure made more sense. Following the crowds, Ye Wen eventually found himself outside the city's Spirit Arena. After paying for a ticket, he strolled inside.
As expected of the empire's capital, the quality of soul masters here was leagues above what he'd seen elsewhere. While soul masters of the Soul Elder or Soul King levels were rare in other cities, here they were as common as cobblestones. Many of the main stages hosted battles featuring these powerful fighters, and at the central arena, even Soul Emperors could be seen fighting.
Deciding to take part in the action himself, Ye Wen found the betting boards and started scanning through the matches. He was only planning a small bet, but if he recognized any big names, he wouldn't hesitate to make a larger wager.
Suddenly, his eyes locked onto a sign in the corner.
"Wolf King Hajis: 1:1 vs. Battle Spider Queen Bibi Dong: 1:5?"
Eyes wide, Ye Wen nearly shouted out loud. A wild Bibi Dong! Here, of all places!
"What is she doing here? This wasn't mentioned in the original story!"
But before he could dwell on it, the realization struck: this was a golden opportunity. As the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong's combat skills were top notch. This so called Wolf King was probably just a stepping stone to elevate her reputation.
Usually, Ye Wen kept a tight grip on his spending, limiting his soul power and budget to maintain his "ordinary" appearance and avoid drawing attention. But now his eyes gleamed with a lust for profit, and he handed over every last one of his gold soul coins to place his bet.
"Two hundred gold soul coins on Bibi Dong in Group 13!" he announced.
The cashier, evidently used to seeing high stakes bets, took his gold coins without flinching and handed him a ticket.
Ye Wen could almost see the mountains of gold waiting for him and couldn't help but grin as he eagerly headed to Bibi Dong's assigned arena. Though he arrived early, there were already crowds gathered for her match. In his heart, he was as excited as anyone else, wondering just how stunning Bibi Dong would be in real life. After all, she was among the most iconic beauties in all of Douluo.
Time passed quickly, and soon enough, Bibi Dong's match began. Her opponent, "Wolf King" Hajis, was a big, rough looking man with a thick beard. According to the pre match information, he was a 28th level Grandmaster with a win loss record of 37 20. For a Soul Grandmaster, he was certainly strong, especially compared to the original series' Dai Mubai, whose record was practically even. Still, it seemed that being a wolf type soul master often came with the downside of looking rather unkempt.
And then there was Bibi Dong. She was around Ye Wen's age, perhaps only ten years old, but she already looked elegant and mature, almost like a young woman of twelve. Dressed in a form fitting, light yellow battle suit that complemented her figure, she radiated a heroic charm.
Ye Wen's eyes lit up Bibi Dong's aura was vastly different from Ah Yin's quiet elegance. Bibi Dong exuded a fierce, confident energy that was refreshing.
The match began, and without much fanfare, Bibi Dong unleashed her eight venomous spider spears, instantly dominating Hajis. Her attacks were relentless, forcing the Wolf King onto the defensive. In this short exchange, Ye Wen saw how a spider type martial spirit's natural offensive capability had an inherent advantage over many other martial spirits, especially with the deadly poison that a high caliber martial spirit like hers carried.
It was no surprise that Hajis was quickly defeated.
From that day, Bibi Dong fought daily in the Spirit Arena, and Ye Wen placed bets on her every single day for a month. Even though her odds eventually decreased, he still made an impressive profit. By the time Bibi Dong's run in the arena ended, Ye Wen had pocketed a fortune of over 100,000 gold soul coins. For a soul master of humble beginnings, this wealth was beyond his wildest dreams.
Though deeply grateful to Bibi Dong for her efforts in the arena, Ye Wen had no plans to approach her. Right now, he was far too weak, and Bibi Dong carried a fate far too complex for him to involve himself with. Keeping a safe distance, he silently thanked her from afar, disguised himself to blend into the crowd, and prepared to leave the city.
His recent winnings hadn't gone unnoticed. Though small change to the powerful, this fortune was monumental to those on the lower rungs. Naturally, it had caught the attention of other soul masters with more nefarious intentions. But Ye Wen's survival skills far outstripped his combat ability, and soon enough, he was on the road home.
"Out of the way, peasant!" he thought with a smirk as he strode along, humming lightly. More than one strong soul master passed him without a second glance, entirely unaware of his identity.
"Where did that brat go? I just saw him head this way!"
"Damn it, if I could just catch him, I'd be set for life!"
"He must have some skill for hiding his presence… Either that, or he's carrying some soul tool to cloak himself. We might have to give up searching for him here is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
Overhearing their muttered curses, Ye Wen kept his face calm and continued on his way, humming cheerfully. Soon enough, he was safely out of the city. Meanwhile, Bibi Dong's appearances in the arena had brought her fame, marking her as one of the continent's rising soul master stars.
(End of Chapter)
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